In the fiber optics communication industry, optical fibers are used in a growing number of ways, particularly out in the field in residential and commercial structures. There is an ever-increasing need to provide better ways of connecting optical fibers so that insertion and return losses are controlled and optimized. Fusion splicing yields connections with precisely controlled insertion and return losses. Fusion splicing is typically accomplished in the factory, in the telecom central office, because the operators are well trained, and the facility is well controlled. There are many field fusion splicer available, but are not really cost effective for mass terminations. The angle cleaved mechanical splice-on (SC, FC, LC)—APC connector is a very attractive solution, it insures the optical performance and required mechanical quality for the applications in the field such as FTTX.
Mechanical splice-on connectors have grown in use and are now generally the best known means by which optical fibers may be connected to one another in the field in a more controlled way, such as terminating in a small closure box on the wall or in the closet, instead of just using a single mechanical splicer joint. Mechanical splice-on connectors typically use a subunit containing a ferrule base, a ferrule mounted within the ferrule base, and an internal fiber, called a fiber stub, running through an axial bore in the subunit and extending from both ends of the subunit with one end factory polished and the other open end buried inside the ferrule. To mate with a field fiber, one end of the fiber stub extending from the subunit is cleaved, typically at an angle to insure the RL spec. The other end of the fiber stub, which extends from the opposite end of the subunit is typically cut and polished so that the ferrule and fiber stub may be mated with another connector. Fusion splice-on factory pre-made connector is in use for many years, however it is not as cost effective as angle cleaved mechanical splice-on (SC, FC, LC)—APC connector.
When mass producing such subunits, it is critical that the subunits are identical in terms of the radial orientation of the fiber stub within the subunit and in terms of the length of the portion of the fiber stub extending from the subunit to the cleaved end. It would be ideal to provide an apparatus and method for mass producing such subunits having a controlled radial orientation and fixed length of the portion of the fiber stub extending from the subunit to the cleaved end, within acceptable tolerances. The invention provides an apparatus and method for achieving this objective.